Display case



Patented July 5, 1938 UNITED s'lrnrizs "PATENT orries DISPLAY. CASEY Thomas J. Pilliod and Ferdinand C. H. Miiller,

Swanton, Ohio, assignors to The Pilliod Cabinet Company, Swanton, Ohio, a corporation of This invention relates to merchandise display cases, and particularly to transparent closure Ohio Application April 8, 1937, Serial No. 135,755

4 Claims.

members for display openings of such cases.

The object of the invention is the provision in a case of this character of a closure member of flexible transparent material having depending marginal flanges together with simple and novel means for attaching such flanges to the side Wall members of a display opening of the case.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a display case embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan of a corner portion of the transparent closure member in blank form; Fig. 4 is a similar view with the member shaped preparatory to being attached to the side walls of a display case opening, and Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Fig. 2 showing different manners of attaching the closure member to the case body.

In the drawing, the invention is shown as embodied in a rectangular case I having side walls 2 divided, in the present instance, to form the bottom or body member A and the separable closure member B of the case.

The tendency of the flanges 4 is to spring outward a distance from right angular relationship to the body portion of the member 3, as shown in Fig. 4. The bottom edge of each flange 4 is provided with an integral outturned lip flange which in Figs. 2 and 4 is shown as disposed at a right angle to the flange 4, and designated 6, while in the form shown in Fig. 5 it is disposed at a downward and outward incline to the. flange and designated 1.

The lip flanges 6 are intended to engage in complemental grooves or recesses 8 provided in the inner faces of the side walls 2 near their outer edges, as shown in Fig. 2, the outward springing tendency of the flanges 4 being sufiicient to normally retain the lip flanges seated in the recesses.

If inclined lip flanges 1 are employed, they may be engaged in correspondingly inclined recesses 9 provided in the top edges of the side walls 2, as shown in Fig. 5, or in recesses It) provided in the inner faces of the side walls near their top edges, as shown in Fig. 6.

In practice, a closure member 3 is assembled with a case body by telescoping the side flange portions 4 of the cover member within the side walls of the case by pressing such flanges inward from their normal distended position sufliciently to permit the lip flanges 6 to pass down at the inner sides of the walls 2. When such lip flanges have been moved into register with the recesses 8 in said walls, the flanges 4 will spring outwardly causing the lip flanges to enter and be normally retained in the recesses. No other securing means is required for this form of the invention. This is also true if the lip flanges are of the inclined form, such as I, and are engaged within inclined recesses II] in the inner faces of the side walls. The inclined lips I are engaged in the same manner with the inclined recesses 9 when disposed on the top edges of the side walls, except that in such case the side flanges 4 of the closure member are not telescoped within the case. In any of the three manners of attaching the closure member to the side walls shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6, the top walls of the respective recesses into which the lip flanges are inserted coact with the upper sides of the lip flanges to resist an upward releasing movement of the top member 3 with respect to the case body and requires an inward springing of the flanges 4 in order to effect a disengagement of the lip flanges from the side walls. It is preferable, however, to employ the interengaging means shown in Fig. 2, inasmuch as with this manner of attachment it is necessary to first press the flanges 4 inward to withdraw the lips 6 from the recesses 8 before the top member 3 can be removed from the case.

It is apparent that in shaping a closure member 3, the material comprising such member should be subjected to heat during the pressing or shaping operation.

We wish it understood that our invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. In a display case of the class described, a body member having a substantially rectangular display opening with recesses therein angled with respect to the top edge of the wall, and a closure member of flexible transparent material substantially corresponding in shape to the shape of said opening and having depending flanges of the same material at its edges with the adjacent ends of the flanges in abutment to form straight-edge corner portions, the lower edges of said flanges having angular lip flanges for interengagement with registering recesses in the body member.

2. In a display case, a body member having a substantially rectangular top opening with longitudinally extending downwardly and outwardly directed recesses in the upper portions of its walls,

i, and a flexible transparent closure member having an integral downwardly extending flange of the same material along each side edge adapted to have its end edges abut the adjacent end edges of adjoining flanges when the flanges are in predetermined angular relation to the closure member body, said flanges having outwardly projecting lip flanges at their lower edges for engagement within respective recesses in said body walls, said flanges having an outward springing tendency to urge their lip flanges into said recesses.

3. In a display case, a body member having a substantially top rectangular opening with lengthwise extending recesses provided along the inner face of each wall of said opening adjacent to its top edge, a closure member of flexible resilient material having along each edge for its entire length a depending flange of the same material separated at its ends from the ends of the adjoining side flanges but cooperating therewith when in set-up position to form closed corners, said flanges when in said set-up position being telescoped within said body opening and having outwardly turned lips at their lower edges which engage outwardly into said recesses and are yieldingly retained therein by an outward spring- .ing tendency of the flanges.

4. In a display case, a body member having a substantially rectangular display opening with internal recesses, a flexible transparent closure member for said opening having a normally outwardly sprung depending flange along each side edge separated at its ends from adjacent flanges, at least a portion of said flanges having outturned lip edges, said flanges being telescoped in said opening with said lips engaged outwardly in respective recesses in the walls.

THOMAS J. PILLIOD. FERDINAND c. H. MULLER. 

